Willamette Sutta's Blog, page 2

How Many More?

An Indulgence

In a rare departure from my reading habits, I recently allowed myself the luxury of a mystery novel. That used to be my favorite genre before discovering my love for fantasy. And once I decided to write in that category, I had to devote my limited reading time to fantasy stories, for my craft. Still, mysteries hold a potent place in my heart, and a cozy British one is my show of choice on television. Due to an unexpected opportunity to meet one of the stars of the upcoming movie...

A Midwinter Eve’s Tale

Shakespeare meets Clement Clarke Moore, and a few more, on this night before Midwinter?

Shang-Li peered past her reflection to search the inky sky. Nothing.

“There she goes again.” The whispering wasn’t soft in the Great Hall behind her.

“Hush, Sadira, or you shall be sent to bed.” Pergi’s voice held all the haughtiness of an eight-year old bossing the only person she could.

Sadira’s squeak came right on cue, “Noooo! It’s Midwinter’s Eve. No one has to sleep until midnight.”

“Moth...

Water Like Dirt

This a story of our Mountain Genius as a young man, with no more care in the world than all the mysteries in it. He’s about to encounter one of the greatest in life that even he might not be able to fathom. Enjoy!

“Don’t just stand there, boy!” Slevin yelled. “Move—Irvon!”

The mesmerized youth snapped his head up from the device in his hand. He blinked twice, then grabbed a pail.

Fascinating, Irvon thought, stowing the Navdisk and catching up with his father on the dash to the well.

...

Lyrics Lost – Chapter 1

The leaf bit back as soon as she snapped it. Blood bubbled on Rhinna’s fingers where the teeth sunk in.
“My lady…” Tamaa started from the shadows of his corner.
Rhinna gasped. Then her widening eyes arrested in an unseeing daze.
“My lady?” Tamaa repeated. He looked at his fellow Clafes, who had also come into the light.
“Is it poison?” Chura asked.
“The aloe is not poisonous,” Alto said. “No…” She prevented Bass from reaching Rhinna. “She is an eisee, and we may not understand.” The bald man frowned ...

Flash of Fancy

I’ve told you much about myself and my writing. Now I want to show you more of the world of my fantasy. What better way to do that than through stories? Welcome to my new turn to flash fiction, featuring characters you’ve met in my books and others who may be less familiar. So, is the cat just clickbait for the post? Find out in this first story, which takes place shortly before the events of Adamant in Dust. It’s standalone and doesn’t have any bearing on the main story… or does it?

Fight or...

Inspiration, Expression, Exhalation

Many big things happened in the world during this summer break. For me, it was a trippingly busy time but also very rewarding.

Inspiration

It started with a 10-day trip to Germany—a graduation present for the children and a final family trip before we disperse. The country was their choice for heritage and language reasons. I had few expectations. Maybe that was why I had such an excellent experience. Few things kill enjoyment better than overblown anticipation.

We spent most of our tim...

Reflections on Advancement

In the last months, both of my children graduated, one from college and the other from high school. Excitement, pride, and poignancy blended in these bittersweet moments. Time crept up on me. Only looking back did I see the claim of its ponderous heft. Yet, these are the goals for which we labored as parents, to see them grow and progress well in the world. Is it a particular sting of our fallen world that we must buy such achievements at the cost of loss and separation? Maybe part of the transc...

Because You Asked

Like most authors, I always want to hear from my readers. Thank you to those of you who have contacted me and provided feedback. I’m delighted that your response to Adamant in Dust is overwhelmingly positive. But you’ve had some questions about the book. So, because you asked, let me address a few of them.

Who Is That?

A number of you have commented on the proliferation of hard-to-pronounce names in the book, which are difficult to keep track of. To help you with this, I’ve included a Glos...

7 Highlights of Book Launch

Adamant in Dust has been out for 10 days, and it has been a wild ride. It feels more like months of an adrenaline high.

7 Top Highlights:Countless emails, texts, and other notes from family, friends, and new acquaintances all around the world, indicating they are buying, reading, and enjoying my bookSteadily increasing sales on Amazon, even though I’m sure the reports don’t reflect up-to-the-minute data10 positive reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and BookBub, some of them from peopl...

A Time to Celebrate

My book launch party on Sunday could not have been more perfect. I borrow the words of one of my guest as she thanked the hostess:

Everything was so elegant and beautiful like it was from a storybook. I love how your hors d’oeuvres were all labeled so carefully. Such attention to detail. Sitting in the shade of the trees with a gentle breeze, the soothing melodies of the flute in the background, the vibrant flowers gracing each table and the quiet conversations… I felt like I was transplante...